CHENANGO COUNTY – On July 1, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo signed the fiscal year 2021 budget, which included a notable list of new and updated laws. Within the list was a plan to enact a Comprehensive Tobacco Control Policy.

The policy includes stricter regulations and restrictions on how tobacco products, especially e-liquid and vape products, are advertised and where they can be sold. However, one change smokers will notice right away is the ban on coupons and manufacturer discounts.

Tobacco companies allow customers to sign up online to receive monthly coupons, and offer in store multi-pack discounts. Chenango Health Network's Tobacco Free Healthy Initiatives Coordinator Jamie Hagenbuch says this allows tobacco companies to circumvent taxes on tobacco products.

"It is a significant victory in combating big tobacco’s long history of discounts and other pricing schemes that target youth, minority communities, low-income communities and people trying to quit. The average age that teens first start smoking in New York State is 13 years old, and 90 percent of adult smokers say they first tried smoking by age 18," said Hagenbuch.